At first, it seemed like Murray would expose all of Isner’s weaknesses.  Isner has built a strategy on what he does well.  Serve.  Usually, if a player can return the Isner serve, it’s a weak return.  Isner has learned to hit a big forehand to either end the point or get him to net.  But, if the rally can continue, Isner has limits in terms of running shots down.  He isn’t the speedster that Murray or Nadal is, not even as fast as Andy Roddick.

Murray was able to return serve just well enough in the first two sets perhaps aided by a sun that bothered both players on one side of the court.  Murray was even threatening a second break of serve in the second set, but couldn’t quite do it.

After taking the first two sets, 7-5, 6-4, it seemed like Murray would cruise to a straight set win.  However, Isner began to get more range on his serve and take big cuts on the Murray serve.  For two sets, Isner had only one break opportunity, early in the first set, but couldn’t take advantage of it.  In the third set, early on, he took advantage of the Murray serve and was able to break early.  Although Murray had chances, he kept hitting into the net or hitting wide, kicking himself when opportunities presented themselves knowing how rare the opportunities were.

The fourth set was also tight.  Murray found himself 15-40 on his own serve knowing a loss of serve would likely mean a loss of set.  Murray hit an ace, then on a second serve which Isner attacked and Murray half-volleyed into the open court, Murray tied the game at deuce.  Isner wanted to challenge the second serve, but wasn’t allowed because Murray had already played a reply shot.  Replays showed that Murray’s second serve just grazed the line.  Murray went on to hold that serve and both held serve until the tiebreak.

Murray opened up with the first point of the tiebreak.  Isner then gifted a double-fault, but held his other serve.  Murray got two more points on his serve.  Then, Isner came to net, hit an initial volley, then netted the second volley which seemed easy as Murray was drifting left and unable to do much (although Isner’s volley would have likely gone down the line in the same direction as Murray).  On the next point, Isner attempted a drop shot and missed giving Murray a 6-2 lead.  Isner then took a big swipe at Murray’s serve, hit it wide, and Murray took the tiebreak, 7-2.

Murray opted more to keep Isner running rather than taking aggressive swipes feeling that Isner would hit big and miss much like Young, but since Isner always hits big (mostly to cover up his weaknesses), it’s something comfortable for Isner.

Murray now takes on the winners of Roddick and Nadal.  This is the fourth Slam semifinal for Murray only matched by Djokovic who has won two finals and reached the semis of the other.  Nadal lost in the quarterfinals of the Australian Open while Federer lost in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.